Do you like history?

Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it. -Edmund Burke

History is a fascinating subject for me, because I can often see how similar events and circumstances are occurring in the present day. If we study history carefully, we can learn lessons that can instruct us how we should live today.

Reading up on the history of my ancestors from Holland

You shall know them by their frutis

"You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit." Matthew 7:16

The greatest measure of a man is in his children, because in the ultimate sense, they are the 'fruits' of your life. Today I reflected about this as I mentored some youth in my community.

We did a project where the kids made fruit-kabobs for their siblings. I could understand more why parents are the happiest when their children get along and love each other. It is because they are demonstrating the good fruit of the parents' life-long investment.

Thank God for the family where we can learn these valuable lessons.

Inspiring speech at the Global Peace Convention 2014 Paraguay

I was impressed by this speech by Dr. Hyun Jin Moon at the Global Peace Convention Opening Plenary in Paraguay last year. In it he details a model for national transformation based on the case study of the work of the Global Peace Foundation in Paraguay.

Text: http://www.hyunjinmoon.com/global-peace-convention-2014-opening/

video: http://youtu.be/TsLekyotz38?list=UUUc_CFLrDIWFDz_tsAfw0NQ

"Positive social transformation leads to political and legal change that then leads to sustainable economic development"

I believe this is a key instruction for any form of national development, because change first has to start in the hearts of people, then the people should form a system of governance to establish order. Upon that orderly framework, economic development can take place without corruption or bias.